The 2025–26 season is shaping up as a take a look at case for a way completely different sorts of younger expertise translate in fantasy hockey. Connor Bedard has already confirmed he can drive play on a weak Chicago roster, piling up elite per-60 manufacturing regardless of a below-average taking pictures share and restricted help. Matvei Michkov enters Philadelphia with an opportunity to change into their prime scoring winger, whereas Macklin Celebrini is displaying early indicators he can generate worth with out the luxurious of elite teammates round him. After which there’s Matthew Coronato, combating for a bigger function in Calgary however flashing the type of shot quantity and power-play contact that would push him into relevance if utilization clicks.
Taken collectively, these 4 characterize very completely different archetypes: the high-volume driver (Bedard), the pure scorer (Michkov), the self-sufficient heart (Celebrini), and the dark-horse winger (Coronato). In fantasy phrases, the query is not simply who scores –– it is how they fill classes. Objectives, assists, pictures, blocks, hits, and utilization all form worth otherwise relying on league format, and every of those gamers enters 2025–26 with a singular path to climbing these ranks.
Connor Bedard – Chicago Blackhawks
Bedard’s first two seasons inform a narrative of each promise and rising pains. As a rookie he scored 61 factors in 68 video games (a 74-point tempo), then adopted with 67 factors over a full 82 video games in his sophomore 12 months. The uncooked totals would possibly look flat, however the effectivity hints at upside: his profession taking pictures share sits at simply 11.2%, beneath league common, and but he is already produced 45 targets on greater than 400 pictures. Almost half of these makes an attempt come from the mid-slot, and along with his skating and fast launch, any transfer nearer to the crease ought to increase his conversion price.
He is additionally confirmed himself as a play driver. Since 2023-24, Bedard ranks thirty second league-wide in first assists per 60 (minimal 750 minutes), however drops nicely outdoors the top-150 in second assists –– a mirrored image of Chicago’s lack of finishers. Even so, he led the Blackhawks in factors per 60 and ranked top-two in assists per 60. In 24/25 alone, his per-60 profile underscores that impression: 2.42 factors/60 (82nd percentile), with 1.59 assists/60 (87th) and 1.84 main factors/60 (eightieth). Regardless of that manufacturing, he managed it whereas carrying big utilization –– 20:29 TOI per sport (96th percentile) and a heavy offensive zone push (73% OZ begins).
For fantasy, his 200-plus pictures per season already make him an anchor piece in multi-cat codecs regardless of modest hits (1.7/60, simply fifteenth percentile) and blocks (1.3/60). What stands out is how environment friendly he already is in your scoring setup: an 8.70 FPPG/60 price (83rd percentile), comfortably above the positional common. He provides rush probabilities (eightieth percentile in rush makes an attempt), creates rebounds (82nd), and has elite takeaway numbers (88th) that preserve him harmful even when the puck is not moving into. The giveaways are excessive (96th percentile), however that is partly the tax of being the offensive hub.
The following step hinges much less on outdoors veterans and extra on the Blackhawks’ younger core –– Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov –– rising into NHL roles. If that supporting forged clicks, Bedard’s play-driving may lastly be matched by ending expertise, elevating each his ground and his ceiling.
Matvei Michkov – Philadelphia Flyers
Michkov wasted no time asserting himself in his rookie 12 months. Throughout 82 video games he scored 26 targets on almost 200 pictures, taking pictures 13.1% — proper in keeping with expert finishers — with eight of these tallies approaching the facility play. That effectivity does not scream regression; if something, the quantity suggests his totals may rise with extra utilization. Michkov is not a one-dimensional set off man both — he drives offense from each angle of the zone, and the numbers again it up.
Amongst skaters with a minimum of 750 minutes final season, Michkov ranked sixty fourth in targets/60, sixtieth in assists/60, 57th in factors/60, and twenty sixth in particular person level share (IPP). Throughout the Flyers, he was the point of interest: first in targets/60, first in factors/60, second in assists/60, second in pictures/60, and first in rebounds created. His percentile card paints the identical image — 8.95 pictures/60 (ninetieth), 2.83 factors/60 (89th), 2.16 main factors/60 (89th), and a glowing 0.75 IPP (89th). For a rookie, these are exceptional benchmarks.
The fantasy profile is evident. He is a premium factors league possibility due to elite shot era and scoring effectivity, however his bodily sport lags behind — simply 1.3 hits/60 (tenth percentile) and 1.0 blocks/60 (ninth). That retains his ceiling decrease in bangers leagues. The addition of Trevor Zegras provides intrigue: two artistic however defensively suspect playmakers being requested to mesh. In the event that they click on, Michkov’s totals may take one other leap; if not, anticipate volatility. Both means, he is already proven he belongs within the prime tier of younger fantasy forwards.
Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks
Celebrini’s rookie 12 months confirmed precisely why the Sharks view him as the way forward for their franchise. At simply 18, he put up 25 targets and 63 factors in 70 video games whereas averaging almost 20 minutes an evening. His 236 pictures communicate to the quantity he generated, even when the ten.6% conversion saved him from a good larger breakout. Add in 22 power-play factors (8 targets, 14 assists), and he is already functioning because the centerpiece of San Jose’s assault.
The underlying numbers solely reinforce that. League-wide, he slotted in 92nd in targets/60 and 66th in factors/60, respectable ranks for a rookie, however his 0.79 IPP (93rd percentile) and 10.22 pictures/60 (98th) present how a lot of the Sharks’ offense ran instantly via him. His 11.24 FPPG/60 (97th percentile) makes him probably the most environment friendly fantasy rookies we have seen lately, and the combination of rebounds created, and takeaways (92nd percentile) underline his capability to maintain performs alive.
Fantasy managers should not anticipate a lot in peripherals (simply 37 hits and 53 blocks), and the giveaways have been excessive (113, almost one centesimal percentile), however these are rookie blemishes on a workforce with few different drivers. What issues most is that Celebrini proved he can create offense with out the advantage of elite teammates — a uncommon trait for an 18-year-old. If the Sharks add even modest help, his already robust factors basis may rise even larger in 12 months two.
Matt Coronato – Calgary Flames
Coronato’s first full season in 2024–25 was a step ahead for the Flames’ younger winger. He scored 24 targets and 47 factors in 77 video games, powered by 180 pictures on purpose at 13.3% taking pictures. Whereas the speed stats do not leap off the web page, his function on a low-scoring Calgary workforce made him certainly one of their extra dependable offensive contributors. He ranked third on the roster in targets/60, fifth in assists/60, and third in factors/60, displaying regular progress right into a secondary scoring possibility.
The percentile information fills within the image. Coronato landed within the 81st percentile for pictures/60 (7.98) and 79th percentile for ice time (17:35 ATOI), whereas additionally standing out as a transition participant — 92nd percentile in rush makes an attempt and 93rd in rebounds created. That blend suggests he has the instruments to maintain producing offense even when the puck is not moving into. On the flip facet, his fantasy ground is decrease in bangers leagues: simply 1.6 hits/60 (thirteenth percentile) and 1.6 blocks/60 (thirtieth).
For fantasy functions, Coronato is finest seen as a middle-six scorer who positive aspects worth with power-play utilization. If he holds his taking pictures effectivity and sees even a slight bump in special-teams time, a 25–30 purpose season is not out of the query. He does not carry the identical breakout shine as Bedard, Michkov, or Celebrini, however he is carving out a reliable function on a rebuilding Flames squad.
Conclusion
Bedard, Michkov, Celebrini, and Coronato every supply a special type of worth heading into 2025–26: Bedard is already a franchise driver who simply wants finishers round him; Michkov appears to be like poised to develop right into a pure scoring risk with top-50 manufacturing charges as a rookie; Celebrini confirmed he can carry offense with out assist, a uncommon trait for an 18-year-old; Coronato might not have the identical ceiling, however his quantity taking pictures and power-play function make him a gentle depth piece.
For fantasy managers, the important thing takeaway is that context issues as a lot as expertise. Utilization, effectivity, and class steadiness resolve whether or not a participant is a league-winner or only a streaming possibility. All 4 are trending upward — the query is which of them can flip robust foundations into full breakouts this season.
Knowledge from Hockey Reference, NaturalStatTrick
